Machine for molding concrete posts and the like



July 7, 1925.

H. BARKSCHAT MACHINE FOR MOLDING CONCRETE POSTS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb.24, 1.925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 7, 1925.

H. BARKSCHAT MACHINE FOR MOLDING CONCRETE POSTS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb;24, 1925.

2 sh eets sheet 2 I/wen far 24 WA flax/icy.

Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES- HENRY BARKSCHAT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR MOLDING CONCRETE POSTS AND THE LIKE.

Application fil ed February 24, 1925. Serial No. 11,053.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, I'IENRY BARKSCHAT, acitizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, inthe county ofLos Angeles and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Molding Concrete Posts and the like, ofwhich the following is a detailed description.

This invention relates to machines for molding plastic material bv thewell known centrifugal method, and has as its principal object toprovide a machine of this type having certain characteristics whichrender it capable of greatly expediting casting operations.

I produce the desired result by arring or vibrating the mold duringitsrotation, this effect being given by so constructing the machine ormold clamping mechanism that the mold ends gyrate with respect to eachother, or more broadly, so two longitudinally spaced points on themold'gyrate with respect to one another. This movement of the mold tendsto hasten the disengagement r of the excess water in the plastic massand to compact the aggregate deposited on the mold walls much morequickly and solidly than when the mold is rotated without such vibrationor gyration." For instance, in casting concrete light posts weighing1500 pounds, I find that it requires approximately twelve or fifteenminutes of'usual centrifuge operation to complete the casting operation,while it takes only approximately five minutes to complete the operationwhen the mold is gyrated in the manner described. The economic advantagethus gained is obvious and need not be further discussed.

The following detailed set forth several ways of accomplishing thedesired end. Reference will behad to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1';

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views illustrating certaincharacteristics of'variat'i'onal forms of the machine;

Fig.5 is an end elevation of a variational form of mold used inconnection with the machine; and

-with the mold.

description will tions'set up thereof, it is preferable that rollershafts 19 Fig. 6 illustrates another variational form of the machine.

In order to fully disclose my invention I have illustrated a well knowntype of centrifugealtered in a manner to gain the desired end, and willdescribe the operation ofthls machine and the construction of a typicalmold-with some particularity. However, it will beunderstood the drawingsand description are merely illustrative of the invention and are not tobe considered as limitative thereon, for the invention is equally wellapplicable to other machines and molds.

Cylindrical mold 10 is provided with an nular collars 1'1 and 11 at twolongitudinally spaced points therealong, and in the embodiment of theinvention first to be described it will be assumed that these collarsand the mold bore are substantially coaxial. Centrifuge 12 is made up oftwo substantially identical units 13, 14, adapted to take collars 11 and11, respectively. However, it will belat'er ointed out that the invention, in its broa' er aspects, is not limited to a machine having twopoint engagement firmly and thus hold the drums and molds againstrelative longitudinal and rotary movement. The jaws are movable to alloweasy insertion and withdrawal of the mold.

'Each drum is supported by rollers 19 which are journaled on'frames 20and engage drum' rollways 21 in the usual manner,

units 13 and 14'be1ng set up so tlie drum axes are approximately alined.

' In order that frame 10 need not be built excessively heavy towithstand the vibraby the drums during rotation be 'y'ieldinglymountedin the frame. For

'instance',"they maybe mounted in the manner set forth in United StatesLetters Patent No."1,391,164, issued to me September 20, 1921; shaftboxes 22 being slidably mounted in the frame and being urged towards thedrum axes by adjustable springs 23.

Belts 24 are run over crowned portions 25 of the drums and are drivenfrom power shaft 26 by pulleys 27. While the drawings indicate that bothdrums are positively driven, it is usually desirable to apply power toonly one, the other merely being guided in its movement by theassociated set of rollers 18. 7

Now it is the practice to hold the mold concentrically in both drums,and rotation of the alined drums causes simple rotation of the mold.However, I so alter the machine that either or both ends of the mold areeccentrically mounted in the drums, and by this'alteration-set' upgyration of one 'end of the-mold with respect to the other. The

eccentric mounting of the mold may be accomplished in a variety ofmanners, all lying within the scope of the invention, considered in itsbroader aspects, .and I will describe several of such mountings.

First take the case where only one end of the mold is eccentricallymounted. Re-f ferring to Rig. 3, chuckjaws 18 in drum 16 are adapted tohold collar 11 concentrically within said drum, while jaws 17 are offsetwith respect to the axis of rotation of drum 15 andtherefore hold theleft hand end of the mold (as viewed in Fig. 1) ecconsequently gyratesthe ends of the molds with respect to one another (the chuck jaws beingarranged to grasp the mold collars in a manner to allow this relativemovement of the mold ends) and this movement of the mold greatlyexpedites the disengagement of the excess water original] present in theplastic mass within the mo (1, and hastens the compacting of the agegate thrown to the inner face of the mo (1 by centrifugal force.

In the instance just cited, the left hand end of the mold will gyratethrough a path of eater diameter than does the right han end. If it bedesired that the mold ends gyrate equally (assuming that collars 11 and11 are equally spacedfrom the mold ends) jaws 17 and 18 will be equallyoffset with res ectto their associated drums (see Fig. 4} at to fulfillthe described gyratory conditions, the .jaws must be equa ly anddiametrically oppositely offset with respect to the common drum axis.

Of course, the relative jaw offset need not be 180 in order to causerelative end ation, when it is unessential that the gymtory aths .of thetwo'eccentrically mounted on s be of equal diameter, but it is neces:any that the jaws be so relatively arranged that they are out of axialalinement; otherwise, the mold, as a whole, would gyrate The describedgyratory effect may also be obtained With coaxial drums and chuck jaws,by interposing eccentric bushings between either or both jaws and themold, or by providing mold 10 with eccentric collarsll l (Fig. 5) inplace of coaxial collars 11, 1.

Where the size of the mold permits, a single centrifuge unit may beemployed (see Fig. 6) the mold 10 being held intermediate its ends by'aws18 so its axis extends angularly wit respect to the axis of drum 16.It is apparent that drum rotation will cause gyration of the mold endswith respect to one another.

While I have illustrated and described certain manners in which themachine may be fashioned to accomplish a particular nature of moldgyration, it will be understpod such other means as may-be employed toaccomplish this lie within the scopeof my invention, and therefore I donot wish to be limited to thejmachine as illustrated and describedexcept for such limitations as a fair interpretation of the appendedclaims may import.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a mold, and meansrotatably su porting the mold in the frame and adapte to gyrate one endof the mold wit respect to the other end.

2. In a machine of the character described, an elongated mold and meansat two longitudinally spaced points along the mold adapted to rotatablysupport said mold in'a manner to gyrate said points withrespect to oneanother.

3. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a drum rotatablysupported in the frame, a mold, and means adapted to hold the mold anddrum against relative rotation and to hold the mold in-eccentricrelation to the drum. Y

4 In a machine of the character described, a frame, a drum rotatably suported in the frame, a mold, and a chuc in the drum adapted to hold themold in eccentric'relation to the drum.

5 In a machine of the character described, a frame, a mold,a pluralityof rollers yieldably mounted in the frame and adapted to support themold rotatably in the frame, and means for gyrating one end of the moldwith respect to the other end.

6.1n a machine of the character described, two rotatable drums arrangedsubstantially in axial alinement, an elongated mold extending throughthe drums, and means adapted to connect the drums and mold in a mannerwhereby coincident rotation of the drums imparts gyratory movement toone end of the mold with respect to the other end.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 19 day of January, 1925.

HENRY BARKSCHAT.

